One of the biggest summer festivals in Osaka, the Sumiyoshi Festival centers around the Sumiyoshi Shrine, the third oldest shrine in Japan. The events start with the uniquely built shrine being purified with sea water, but the real draw is a ceremony where women and children walk through a ring made of straw (a chinowa, or 茅の輪) dressed in traditional costumes to get rid of any evil spirits hanging around, called Nagoshi Harai Shinji (夏越祓神事). The final day also includes a procession of portable mikoshi shrines, across bridges and all around the area.